UNDERSTANDING THE LAST
THE HEART OF THE SNEAKER: WHY THE LAST IS THE MOST IMPORTANT COMPONENT IN ANY HANDMADE SNEAKER
EVERYTHING BEGINS WITH THE LAST.
THE LAST IS THE SOLID THREE DIMENSIONAL FORM AROUND WHICH A SNEAKER IS BUILT. HISTORICALLY CARVED FROM WOOD, NOW OFTEN A HIGH DENSITY POLYMER. IT DEFINES THE FIT, THE PROPORTION AND THE SILHOUETTE OF THE FINISHED SNEAKER. IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT COMPONENT IN THE MAKING PROCESS AND THE ONLY ONE NOT PRESENT IN THE FINISHED PRODUCT, REMOVED BEFORE THE SNEAKER IS COMPLETE. WHAT REMAINS IS SHAPED ENTIRELY BY THE DECISIONS ENCODED IN THE LAST.
WHAT THE LAST ENCODES
THE TOE SPRING IS THE DEGREE TO WHICH THE TOE RISES FROM THE GROUND PLANE, AFFECTING HOW THE SNEAKER FLEXES WITH THE FOOT IN MOTION. THE HEEL PITCH IS THE ANGLE AT WHICH THE HEEL SITS, AFFECTING POSTURE, WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION AND THE ENTIRE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WEARER AND GROUND. THE BALL WIDTH DETERMINES WHETHER THE SNEAKER BREATHES AT THE POINT OF GREATEST FLEX OR BINDS. THE INSTEP HEIGHT, THE VOLUME ABOVE THE ARCH, DETERMINES HOW THE LACE CLOSURE SITS AND FUNCTIONS. MOST MASS PRODUCED LASTS NARROW THE BALL TO PRODUCE A SILHOUETTE THAT PHOTOGRAPHS WELL. THE WEARER PAYS FOR THIS IN COMFORT.
WHAT A CORRECT LAST MAKES POSSIBLE
A CORRECTLY DESIGNED LAST PRODUCES A SNEAKER THAT ACCOMMODATES THE FOOT WITHOUT RESTRICTING IT. THAT FLEXES NATURALLY THROUGH THE STRIDE. THAT DISTRIBUTES WEIGHT ACROSS THE CORRECT POINTS OF CONTACT. THAT FEELS, FROM THE FIRST WEARING, LIKE IT WAS MADE FOR THE FOOT.
A LAST DESIGNED FOR VISUAL EFFECT RATHER THAN ANATOMY PRODUCES THE OPPOSITE. A SNEAKER THE FOOT MUST ACCOMMODATE. PRESSURE WHERE THERE SHOULD BE NONE. SOMETHING THAT NEVER QUITE SETTLES, REGARDLESS OF HOW LONG IT IS WORN IN.
WHY 1812 MADE THEIR OWN LAST
A MAKER WHO USES A PURCHASED LAST IS MAKING A SNEAKER ON SOMEONE ELSE'S UNDERSTANDING OF THE FOOT. THE PURCHASED LAST IS A COMPROMISE, DESIGNED TO BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE LARGEST POSSIBLE NUMBER OF WEARERS, NOT CORRECT FOR ANY OF THEM.
1812 DEVELOPED A PROPRIETARY LAST WITH SPRINGLINE, THE LAST REMAINING MANUFACTURER OF HANDMADE LASTS IN ENGLAND, BUILT TO SATRA SPECIFICATIONS. SPRINGLINE WORKS WITHIN THE NORTHAMPTONSHIRE TRADITION, ITS LASTS ENCODING CENTURIES OF ACCUMULATED UNDERSTANDING OF THE ENGLISH FOOT. THE PROCESS REQUIRED MONTHS OF ITERATION, PROTOTYPE AFTER PROTOTYPE, WEAR TESTING, ADJUSTMENT AND REFINEMENT. THE RESULT IS A LAST THAT PRODUCES A SNEAKER WITH A SPECIFIC, CONSIDERED FIT CHARACTER.
WHEN A CUSTOMER PUTS ON A PAIR OF 1812 SNEAKERS AND FEELS, WITHIN A FEW STEPS, THAT SOMETHING IS DIFFERENT FROM EVERY OTHER SNEAKER THEY HAVE WORN, THE LAST IS THE REASON. THE FIT IS NOT AN ACCIDENT.
